Former police officer convicted of felony

April 3, 2014

NEW TOWN Lindrith Tsoodle, 58, was convicted Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Bismarck of one felony count and one misdemeanor count of using excessive force on persons in his custody. He was also convicted of making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer but was acquitted of his charge of tampering with a witness.

The incidents occurred against restrained arrestees in November and December 2010 while Tsoodle was serving as a police officer with the Three Affiliated Tribes Police Department in New Town. In one instance he twisted the neck of a handcuffed suspect and also threw him to the ground and kneed him in the abdomen. In another instance he excessively tightened the handcuffs of another arrestee, slammed him against the wall, sprayed him with pepper spray and struck him with hands and a baton.

He faces a maximum of 10 years for the felony, a maximum of one year for the misdemeanor and faces a maximum of five years for the false statements count.